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The material posted here was provided to the Division for the 

Advancement of Women by the Government in response to a note 

verbale. It has being made available in electronic format from

the form received. 

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Although there have been significant changes in gender relations in the last few years - such as the growing participation of women in the labour market, their resulting economic independence, and the increase in women's participation in secondary school levels and higher education - these changes have not yet been translated into a global improvement of laws concerning women, nor in women's exercise and enjoyment of full citizenship.

Women's participation in political decision-making is restricted. The labour market shows a strong sectoral and vertical segregation of female work in health and education, and women tend to occupy lower positions in organisational hierarchies.

Adolescent mothers, old women, and single mothers are very vulnerable to poverty and are at risk of social exclusion, especially when these conditions are coupled with limited or no education, or the absence of professional skills.

At the demographic level, the combined effect of an increase in life expectancy and low birth rates has resulted in the progressive increase of the elderly population and a reduction in young age-groups. If one associates these trends with the effects of urbanization and the progressive decline in family size, one is confronted with some of the major factors that have confined women's activity to the domestic sphere - given the diversification of urban space and the time required to carry-out responsibilities associated with the maintenance of the urban family.

At the economic level, rapid technological advances and changes in work relations require that particular attention be given to education and job training for women.

Given the challenges that Portuguese society is currently facing, a policy advocating equal opportunity for women and men not only constitutes a democratic imperative, but is also an essential condition for development.

Taking into account the objectives of the XIII Constitutional Government for policies concerning equal opportunity for women and men, the obligations assumed by the signatories of the Platform for Action of the IV World Conference on Women, and the priority character of those policies with respect to economic development, expanding citizenship and strengthening democracy, the approval of the Global Plan for Equal Opportunity is considered a priority.

According to article 202 paragraph g) of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers decided to:

1. Approve the Global Plan for Equal Opportunity for men and women.

2. Assign to the High Commission on Questions for the Promotion of Equality and the Family the competence to execute the measures needed according to the Global Plan, and promote the follow-up to the inter-ministerial division of the Advisory Council of the Commission for Equality and Women's Rights.

3. Present a report within one year of the publication of this Resolution, on the behalf of the High Commission on Questions for the Promotion and Equality of Family, to the Council of Ministers which will detail which measures of the Global Plan have been executed.

4. Ensure that each of the Ministries involved in the execution of activities and measures to integrate the Global Plan for Equal Opportunity assumes its particular responsibilities and duties.

Presided by the Council of Ministers, 6 of March 1997. Prime-Minister, Antonio Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Vitorino.

GLOBAL PLAN FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Global measures:

Objective 1: To integrate the principle of equal opportunity for men and women in all economic, social and cultural policies.

Actions:

1. Compile information about national and community attitudes in relation to measures which attempt to establish equality between men and women, and promote its diffusion through public officials and agents that are directly or indirectly linked to : the administration of the State (Central, regional and local levels), the autonomous administration, social security institutions and educational institutions. It will be the duty of the Commission for Equality and Women's Rights to execute this measure, endowed with the necessary financial means.

2. Promote the inclusion of the concept of "equal opportunity" in training and courses for national, regional and local public servants.

3. Promote the inclusion of gender and equality issues in curricula of education for all levels, in teachers' training courses, and vocational training.

4. In order to better plan and implement different sectoral policies, there is a need to incorporate gender statistics. For the implementation of this measure, a representative of the High Commission on Questions for the Promotion of Equality and the Family will be nominated to the Superior Council of Statistics.

5. Incorporate gender issues in impact studies and programmes in all governmental departments, in order to evaluate its incidence on the life conditions of men and women.

6. Promote the implementation of the principle of equality in the Community Support Framework's programmes - namely on professional training and job creation - through the introduction of specific measures which aim for equal opportunity.

7. Introduce specific measures related to equal opportunity within the agreements of the Permanent Commission of Social Regulation, and make reference in the respective follow-up reports to what improvements have been made. For this purpose, a representative of the High Commission on Questions for the Promotion of Equality and the Family should be nominated.

8. Promote equality between men and women in policies which deal with sports.

9. Establish measures which support and encourage NGOs in their fight for human rights and equal opportunity.

The Ministries involved in the implementation of these measures includes: .

Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Ministry of Internal Administration
Ministry of Equipment, Planning and Administration of the Territory.
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Economics
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishing
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health
Ministry for Training and Labour
Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security
Ministry of Science and Technology

Objective 2: Prevent violence and guarantee adequate protection to battered women.

Preventive Measures

Actions:

1 Promote campaigns in order to raise awareness and change public opinion about the current role and status of women in society, in accordance with Decree-Law no. 84/96 of 29 June, which defines the state's coordination and distribution of publicity.

2. Create and disseminate a guide on the rights of battered women.

Protective Measures

3. Establish shelters for battered women and promote cooperation between the departments of the Ministry of Justice, local authorities and NGOs.

4. Improve telephone help-line assistance services (Gabinete SOS) with the support of the Ministry of Justice.

5. Provide women who are subjected to violence with direct access to institutional mechanisms, as well as to the police, to facilitate the reporting of acts of violence.

6. Establish the mechanisms that will permit the reduction of the period in which a complaint is presented by a victim of domestic crime and the removal of the aggressor from the common residence by the competent authorities, within the limits of due process.

7. Promote and reinforce measures which provide victims of domestic violence with adequate compensation.
8. Establish training courses for police personnel to raise awareness of the psychological and social effects of domestic violence on victims and the family structure.

9. Encourage measures which eliminate the trafficking and prostitution of women through increased cooperation between the Government and local authorities.

10. Create mediation centres for families.

The Ministries involved with the implementation of these measures includes:

Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Internal Administration
Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security

Actions:

1. Enforce compliance with the norms established under the Decree-Laws no. 392/79 and 426/88, through the Commission for Equality within Work and Employment and through the intervention of specially-trained agents of the General Inspection of Employment.

2. Create within the Commission for Equality within Work and Employment mechanisms to assess the development of equality issues in work regulations, in order to detect and prevent direct and indirect discrimination. Encourage the development of positive actions and the creation of a "culture of equality" within work.

3. Disseminate to all government departments documents which contain proposals on how to obtain equal opportunity for women, and create mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the anticipated measures.

4. Assure compliance with the norms established by Decree-Law no. 440/91, 14 November, which regulates domestic work through awareness-raising campaigns that are directed to domestic workers.

5. Give incentives to businesses to adopt positive measures, such as contracting unemployed women over the age of forty, integrating women in new professional areas where they are unrepresented, and provide training and internships to youth.

6. Promote, in accordance with existing social regulations, positive initiatives to promote collective regulatory instruments for the workplace.

7. Create agricultural statutes, keeping in mind the specificity of agricultural activities.

8. Stimulate entrepreneurial activity among women, providing specific support in the form of financial and technical assistance for initial activities, and promote the widespread diffusion of these programmes.

9. Strengthen women's participation in professional training and increase their opportunities for placement in professional positions where they are traditionally under-represented.

10. Promote the development of women's professional careers through the European Social Fund.

The Ministries involved with the implementation of these measures include:

Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Equipment, Planning and Administration of the Territory, Secretary of State of Regional Development.
Ministry of Economics
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishing
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health
Ministry for Training and Employment
Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security
Ministry of Science and Technology

Actions:

1. Promote, in conjunction with social partners, through the Permanent Commission of Social Regulation, the idea of co-responsibility in the reconciliation of private, social and professional life, in order to adopt concrete measures in this area through the introduction of alternative work schedules.

2. Give incentives to businesses to promote measures to accommodate professional and familial life through providing flexible work hours, an extended work-day option, family leave time.

3. Endow the High Commission on Questions for the Promotion of Equality and the Family with the financial means to promote awareness-raising campaigns through audio-visual materials, about the importance of dividing family responsibilities to establish an equilibrium within the family and facilitate the sound development of children and youth.

4. Provide incentives for the creation of child-care, elderly (domestic support and day centres), and handicapped (rehabilitation) institutions, through coordination between central authorities, local authorities and NGOs, and the financial support of the European Fund for Regional Development.

5. Assign particular priority to activities that, within the realm of the social market of employment (Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 104/96, 9 July) respond to the growing demand for assistance in dealing with children, the elderly, and other dependent persons, for the improvement of the quality of life of families, and of women in particular.

6. Oversee the adoption of transport and urban policies that would facilitate travel between place of work and residence.

7. Implement the principle of "spousal proximity" for couples employed by public institutions.

The Ministries involved in the implementation of these measures include:

Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Equipment, Planning and Administration of the Territory
Ministry for Training and Employment
Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security

Actions:

1. Creation of a working group within the auspices of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security, in order to define a legal framework related to domestic duties, including the adoption of measures to permit the recognition of the value of domestic work within fiscal plans and social security.

2. Provide social protection measures for men and women who have handicapped children.

3. Protect adolescent mothers by providing health assistance and education.

The Ministries involved with the implementation of these measures include:

Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security

1. Include questions and indicators related to family planning within national health surveys, in order to better monitor health policy.

2. Research measures to prevent adolescent pregnancy within the realm of sex education and family planning in schools, health centres and hospitals.

3. Create conditions that ensure the dignity of persons who seek health treatment, and in particular, respecting privacy rights.

4. Monitor the execution of Laws no. 3/84 of 24 March, and no. 6/84 of 11 May, and Decree-Law no. 48/95 of 15 March, which refer to alternative mechanisms for recognizing conscientious objectors (to medical attention).

The Ministries involved in the implementation of these measures include:

Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health

Actions

1. Inspire support for adult education in order to reduce illiteracy and increase participation in education in general, and female participation in particular.
2. Promote, through prizes, the development of school books and other pedagogical materials that portray non-stereotypical feminine and masculine images.

3. Strengthen and support studies and initiatives that valorize the importance of the historic contribution of women in Portuguese culture.

4. Contribute to the development of school curricula in which the traditional roles of women and men are addressed in order to overcome gender discrimination.

5. Include segments on sex education within school curricula.

6. Provide non-stereotypical coursework and professional career options by offering young students from the 9th year on, information about all higher-education degree programmes and providing short-term internships in central, regional and local government administration.

7. Promote the interest of young people in cultural, scientific and technological areas and provide incentives for their participation in experimental teaching programmes.

8. Include interdisciplinary discussions of gender within finance, scientific and technological programmes.

The Ministries involved in the implementation of these measures include:

Ministry of Education
Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Science and Technology

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